Closure device for egg-crates and the like



W. H. BRANDT.

CLOSURE DEVICE FOR EGG CRATES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5, I921.

Patented Dec. 27 1921. I

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. BRANDT, OF HUBBARD, IOWA.

CLOSURE DEVICE FOR EGG-GRATES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed April 5, 1921.

To all 10 7mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. BRANDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hubbard, in the county of Hardin and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Closure Device for Egg-Crates and the like, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a closure device for egg crates and the like, which is of simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction.

More particularly my invention relates to a device for holding the lid of a crate secure to the crate without the use of nails or the like. The parts being so arranged that they may be quickly and readily placed in position for holding the lid in place, or may be readily and easily removed therefrom.

Still another object is to provide socket members for engaging the ends of the lid of the crate and a portion of the crate. The socket members being connected together by yielding devices whereby the socket members will be held in position when once in use.

When these and other objects in view invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawin s, in which:

igure 1 is a perspective view of a crate with my improved closure device shown thereon.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 showing how the socket member receives the crate and the lid.

Fig. 3 is a detail, perspective view of a portion of one of the socket members; and

Fig. 4; is a plan view of a portion of the blank from which the socket members are formed.

In the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate an ordinary crate which is provided with end walls 11.

The lower edge of the end walls 11 are provided with reinforcing cleats 12 and the upper ends of the end walls 11 are provided with reinforcing cleats 13. The parts just described are of the ordinary crates now used for shipping eggs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

Serial No. 458,818.

The crate 10 is provided with a lid 14 which is ordinarily a flat thin board. The

lid 1% extends over the reinforcing cleats 13 of the crate 10.

Ordinarily the lid 14 is nailed to the It The sides 16 are provided with a lip 20 7 having an opening 21 therein. While the bottom 17 is provided with a lip 22 having an opening 23 therein.

The parts are bent upon the dotted lines shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. WVhen in this position the openings 19, 21 and 23 register with each other.

A rivet 24 is extended through the openings for securely holding the lips 18, 20 and 22 against any movement, thus securely holding the socket members A in proper position.

Each end of the sockets A are provided with wires 25 which are secured to the rivet 24. The free ends of the wires 25 are connectedto a coil spring 26, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The side walls 16 of the socket members A are provided with handle portions 27.

In the practical operation of my device the lid 14 is placed upon the crate 10, one of the socket members is placed over the cleat 13 and the end of the lid 14, as shown in Fig. 2.

The other socket member is engaged in the handle 27 and the springs 26 are slightly extended so as to permit the socket member to be swung over the cleat 13 on the opposite side of the crate. As soon as the socket member is released the tension of the springs will draw the socket members toward each other thus causing each of the cleats and the ends of the lid 14: to be received within the socket member A.

When it is desired to remove my closure device one of the socket members A is engaged and by pulling against the action of the springs 26 it may mo ved so tree edge 01' the bottom 15 Will be permit" ed p to lpass over the cleat 13.

s soon as one of the socket members is removed from the crate the remaining socket member will slip on of the crate. 7

It Will be seen that by the use of the single rivets 2a in the ends of the socket members venient means for securing the wires 25 thereto.

t Will be seen that my device can be made very cheap and is very easy to operate and will do away With the use of nails for holding lids to the crates.

It will be understood that in a great many instances When eggs are brought to town in crates of the type now usedit is necessary to nail the lid thereon. By the use of nails the lids can only be used a very few times and are then ineffective, due to splitting. My device does away With this serious objection. 7

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts or" my machine Without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any

modified forms 01- structure'or use 01 1x16- chanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included Within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. Ina device oi. the class described in combination with a crate and a lid therefor, 21. pair of socket members, each comprising a top Wall, a bottom Wall, a side-wall and end Walls, the end Walls of each socket being yieldingly connected together so that the sockets may be placed on a crate and over the ends of the lid for holding the lid in position on'the crate.

2. A means for holding a lid to a crate comprising a pair of socket members having a. In a. device of the class described in combination With a crate having cleats on its ends and a lid therefor, a pair of channel V shaped sockets each comprising an upper and lower Wall connected together bya side Wall and having its ends inclosed, said upper Wall being designed to rest uponone end of the lid of the crate andsaid lower Wall to be received below the cleat of the crate and means for yieldingly connecting the ends of said sockets together,-the parts being so arranged that the ends of the lid and the cleats are received in said sockets for preventing undesired movement of the lid relative to the crate.

5. In a device of the class described in combination with a crate having cleats on its ends and a lid therefor, a pair of channel 

